Signs, signs, everywhere a sign! At FOSS, we try to make our policies at the pool clear, and the signs you see posted around the school are there to remind swimmers, families and visitors of some of the basic rules we establish and enforce at the pool.
As a rule, we find that people understand and abides by the rules. In some cases, we are asked why certain rules are in place, and the answer is inevitably about safety. In some cases, the reason why is clear – “No Running!” is just about universally understood, even if we do have to remind excited kids to slow down before they slip and fall.
In other cases, the reason might not be as obvious, or the consequences less well understood. So here are five rules we sometimes need to remind our guests about and the reasons behind them:
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No Glass in the Building
This one is pretty clear – glass gets dropped, shatters, and poses a cut hazard – but many people don’t realize how one broken glass can affect scores of families. If there is any chance broken glass got in the pool, we need to shut down classes, and often must drain, clean and refill the pool, shutting the school down and cancelling classes for at least several hours.
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No Food on the Pool Deck
The safety factor here is mostly about allergies. Kids with sensitivities are especially susceptible at the pool because of their exposed skin and the close quarters around the pool. We don’t know who is allergic to what, so as a rule we just restrict any food around the pool. (There’s also the cleanliness factor – if you’ve never tried to clean soggy crackers from a no-skid surface, it isn’t pretty!)
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Shower Before Entering the Pool
When running late, it’s tempting to rush straight to the lane and get your child into class and skip the mandatory pre-swim shower. Please don’t! We have showers and soap dispensers right by the pool to make it fast and easy to wash off. Even a quick wash removes a lot of bacteria and other things that otherwise must be cleaned and filtered from the water.
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No Phone Use in Locker Rooms
We also want people to feel safe in the locker rooms, where even with private changing areas there is still a desire to ensure privacy, especially for children. It’s impossible to tell whether a person is checking email or taking a photo, so we restrict the use of any device with a camera in the locker rooms.
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No Swimming While Sick or With Open Cuts
Of course, nobody wants to miss a swim class, but if your swimmer is sick or has an open cut, it’s better to take the time to get healthy. It’s better for classmates who otherwise might be exposed to infection, but it’s also better for your swimmer. Swimming while sick isn’t that much fun!
This isn’t a complete list of every policy (see the signs at the pool for the rest, or ask anyone in a Foss uniform if you are unsure), but these are some of the rules we are asked about or that may not be top of mind for families.
We hope you’ll join us in making swim school a fun, safe, clean, healthy environment, where everyone can enjoy the pool!
